The article under consideration dwells upon issues concerning violence in the USA. The website contains a lot of information that can be useful for victims, health care professionals, researchers, females, elderly people, families, adolescents, etc. The website is quite comprehensive and user-friendly (CDS, 2012). The data provided are presented in quite a convenient form. However, there are some shortcomings that should be addressed.
In the first place, it is important to focus on the positive features of the website. The target audience of the website is very wide. Adolescents, females, males, researchers, healthcare professionals, officials can find information that can be useful for them. This is very good as the information is not scattered across the Internet and users do not need to spend hours to find the data they need.
It is also necessary to note that the website is safe in terms of the information and links presented. The domain.gov denotes that the information presented is reliable as it is provided by a governmental organization. Users can be sure that the website does not contain any information that is advertising in character (no medicine (or company) is being advertised). The users remain on the given website, which is very good as sometimes websites contain links that prove to be unsafe. It is also very important that the information provided is identifiable. There is always a date of the last update. It is always clear whether the information presented is up-to-date.
The website is quite easy to navigate. There is the necessary contact information in the right part of the screen. It is possible to see the address of the major office. It is easy to write an e-mail. It is also possible to e-mail a page to another person. Finally, there is a 24/7 support system available. The website contains telephone numbers, which is also very convenient for the users, especially victims. As has been mentioned above, the information is presented in a comprehensive way. In the left part of the screen, one can choose a topic on the issue: about the organization and the present website, child maltreatment, elder maltreatment, suicide, sexual violence, global violence, statistics, etc.
Each topic has certain subtopics where a variety of information is provided. Notably, there are numerous reports on various topics. For instance, there is a link to a WHO report on violence against women (WHO, 2010). There are reports, articles, legal acts, and data from other reputable sources. It is possible to note that the website provides users with helpful and comprehensive information on the matter. Importantly, the website contains information that can be helpful for such vulnerable groups as children (adolescents) and elderly people.
The website is very informative as it contains a lot of data on violence prevention. However, for a person in crisis, such information is not enough as professional assistance is needed. People in crisis can go to VetoViolence Facebook where people share experiences and seek specific help. As has been mentioned above, people in crisis can acquire professional help on the phone (phone numbers are provided on the website).
It is important to mention that the information is provided in terms of ethical norms. There is no propagation of hatred against torturers. The website contains lots of articles where ethical issues are discussed and considered. As for the outline of the website, it is quite good as there is no advertisement. There is no abundance of pictures. The fonts are chosen quite well. White background makes the website easy to read.
However, there are several downsides that should be addressed. For instance, it is not that easy to find a particular category where violence against women is considered. It is possible to go to the category “Intimate Partner Violence” (CDS, 2012).
This section covers violence against females as well as males. Violence against women is, unfortunately, a widespread phenomenon and the website under consideration should contain a section where this topic will be considered in detail. At present, it is necessary to use the search engine (which is available on the present site) to access information concerning females in particular. However, it is not very convenient.
It is necessary to note that following the link is not very convenient as the users leave the page and they have to return to the necessary page all the time. Perhaps, it could be better to open some links on a new page. It will be easier to return to the necessary page. There is no “Return” engine which is also inconvenient. The users could be able to access the necessary page quickly.
On balance, it is possible to note that the website under consideration is comprehensive and user-friendly. The website provides reliable data which can be used by the most vulnerable groups as well as officials and researchers who may need specific data on the matter. The website covers major topics and addresses major issues concerning violence in the USA. However, the information provided is not of help for people in crisis. Such people need to seek for professional help. Notably, they can obtain such help on the phone (phone numbers are provided). It is easy to navigate the website and extract the necessary data. Though there are certain downsides, the website is still easy to use. Thus, it is possible to conclude that the website in question is a helpful resource which dwells upon violence in the USA.
References
CDS. (2012). Centers for disease control and prevention. Web.
WHO. (2010). The economic dimensions of interpersonal violence. Web.